That HARRIDAN Mother Nature intervened last night as I was trying to post these, the last photo sets from another incredible Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival experience -- a lightning strike blew out the power for hours here! Anyway, I am back up and fully loaded with electrical connectivity and ready to share what I got! Let's go! (Click on the photos to enlarge and click on the Flickr links for more!)
A lot of attending such a huge and varied festival like Bumbershoot is having to make choices. Do I see BASSNECTAR or do I eat a cinnamon-sugar elephant ear? Some choices are easy; some are not. Anyway, it was really tough to leave in the middle of Redd Kross' super-fun set, but I felt like I had to take the quick walk over to the Toyota/Spin Media Soundwave tent to experience something that I probably would never have the chance to do again: hear a DJ set from one of my very favorite musicians, Bradford Cox (Deerhunter/Atlas Sound). A lot of musicians like to DJ, but I knew that Bradford would be especially good at it, since so much of his own music draws on mixing and layering and transitioning unusual sounds and textures into his songs. I also knew that he has superb taste in music and is very knowledgable, so we'd get max coolness.
I did feel a little stalker-y standing there with all my giant camera gear in such a small setting, so I kept my shooting to a minimum and just relaxed and enjoyed listening for the hour. My expectations were fully met, and I felt like I was really lucky to be there. Also, how can you not just completely love that he chose to play Roger Miller's "My Uncle Used To Love Me But She Died!"
Bradford Cox Bumbershoot DJ Flickr set
From there I hustled back to the KEXP Music Lounge for a must-see live broadcast with The Joy Formidable. This Welsh trio has so much charm and chops; imagine the nicest, cutest damn people ever delivering the most high-energy stage show you've ever seen -- leaps and yells and shreds and toppling amps, even! I am very happy that they have been steadily climbing the success ladder; it's well-deserved.
The Joy Formidable KEXP Bumbershoot Flickr set
No one here could even believe that I hadn't seen local-lad-made-good Allen Stone perform yet! Me neither, so I settled myself into the packed photo pit at the Tunein Stage for his set. I vote Mr. Stone and his band as Happiest Bumbershoot Artists 2013 for their very upbeat, almost gospel-revival-type blue-eyed soul show. The fans behind me were singing along so loudly that at times they drowned out the stage sound! Amazing.
Allen Stone Bumbershoot Flicker set
My choice for closing out the night and the long fest weekend was treating myself to all of Deerhunter's set on the Fountain Lawn Stage from the side of the photo pit. I had seen them perform a near-perfect show at Austin Psych Fest last April, and spent the hour transfixed. Bradford Cox briefly sarcastically chastised the crowd for being "too wild" (perhaps our new legal weed laws had a mellowing effect?), but by the end of the show with "Back To The Middle," my fave song from their 2013's "Monomania" release, everyone was jammin'. I was glad I hadn't packed away my camera gear quite yet when Bradford walked out into the pit and shredded with his wig! You don't see that every day, people.
Deerhunter Bumbershoot Flickr set
DAY ONE
DAY TWO PART ONE
DAY TWO PART TWO
DAY THREE PART ONE
© Copyright 2008- Marianne Spellman